Botswana’s Nxai Pan National Park

Useful Information

History

The pans started forming more than five million years ago when the rivers that flowed into the great lake changed direction. Nxai Pan was declared a national park in 1970. In 1992, boundaries were expanded to include the area where Baines Baobabs stand. Today, the Nxai Pan National Park is 2,578 square kilometers in extent. "Nxai" is a hook that removes spring hares from their holes. In 1862, Thomas Baines and his comrade John Chapman traveled through the Nxai Pan in ox wagons en route to Victoria Falls. They made a stop near the group of baobabs and were so amazed by these “upside-down trees” that Baines painted them — the painting became famous and drew attention to this striking natural site.

Wildlife

Once the rainy season starts in November or December, thousands of animals migrate in herds to the Nxai Pan National Park. The park transforms from an arid wasteland into a “Garden of Eden.” The waterhole, 2 km from the main entrance, is the best place to see all these animals interacting. Permanent residents of the area surrounding the waterhole are lion, giraffe, kudu, impala, ostrich, fascinating birdlife, large numbers of springbok, a sizable jackal population, bat-eared fox, and numerous smaller creatures. Staggering numbers of animals join these residents during the rainy season as herds of thousands of zebra, gemsbok, and wildebeest migrate to this area.

Vegetation & Terrain

In essence, the park is an arid wasteland during the dry season from May to October, when it becomes so dry that animals have to fight for food and water. There are different types of vegetation in various parts of the park. In the northern part of the park, the soil tends to be almost clay-like because of the high moisture present; trees like mopane grow here. Most of the park is void of trees and covered in short grass only.

Activities

Game viewing is best in the rainy season, from November to April, as the zebra migration reaches the Nxai Pan. It includes large numbers of zebra. Other animals you might see include wildebeest, springbok, lion, cheetah, and many more. Baines Baobabs is a sight you must see when visiting the pan. It is a cluster of seven baobab trees in the middle of a dry salt pan. Some of these trees are over a thousand years old. They were stumbled upon by Thomas Baines, who immortalized the image on canvas — a picture that later became iconic. This cluster of trees is a national monument and still looks the same as when Baines painted it in the 1800s. Birdwatching is also a favored activity for visitors to Nxai Pan, with the chance to observe great flocks of flamingo and pelican, as well as Kori bustard, korhaan, and red-necked falcon.